James Boyd, a native Oregonian, has had a varied career as an administrator, performer and educator. Over the past five years, he has served as CEO of two arts organizations: Salem Chamber Orchestra (OR) from 2006 -2008 and Opera Western Reserve (OH) from 2004-2006. An accomplished clarinetist, Boyd has performed with orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the United States and in Italy, and maintains a private clarinet studio. Between 2004 and 2006, he was an adjunct faculty member at both Youngstown State University and Westminster College. James is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance with a Cognate in Arts Administration at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. He received a BA in Music from the University of Oregon School of Music.
Elizabeth Sustar will complete an MBA in Arts Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2009. As part of her MBA program she works as the Marketing Project Assistant with the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Lizzy worked at the Aspen Music Festival and School as the Aspen Opera Theater Center Orchestra Manager during the summer of 2008. Before enrolling in graduate school, her career in orchestra management began with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) in 2003 as the Librarian and Operations Assistant. At the start of the 2004-05 season, she took over as Operations and Education Coordinator and managed the three younger orchestras in the organization as well as Music Pathways, CYSO’s educational engagement program with Chicago Public Schools. Lizzy graduated summa cum laude from Providence College with a BA in Double Bass Performance and German and a Liberal Arts Honors Program certificate. In 2006, she attended the League’s Essentials of Orchestra Management Seminar.